Chapter Text
DATE: 26/02/2070 TIME: 8:29am
Penny woke up to an unfamiliar weight on her chest, looking down she discovers an unfamiliar mop of white-blonde curls and a small hand grasping hers, as if she was going to disappear. Oh, right. Gordon bought home a child. She carefully sat up careful to not disrupt the child attached to the curls, running her hand through them tenderly. Gordon (and Sherbert) was nowhere to be seen, likely at breakfast or the pool. Why hadn't she been more upset? Why was- Her train of thoughts were cut off by Percy rolling over and onto the empty space next to her, his eyes cracked open as he stared at the ceiling. Percy blinked a couple times, gathering his bearings, before he sat up rather rapidly. "Good morning, sleep well?" His little head turned to her before he nodded. Silience filled the room before it was cut off by the small grumbles of Percy's stomach. "Hungry? Come on, let's get you something to eat then little one." She didn't know why, but Penny had a strange feeling...like this was what she was meant to be, like they were meant to meet and Percy was meant to be hers and Gordon's. Grabbing his hand, Penny lead Percy to the kitchen.
When they made it to the kitchen, most of the other inhabitants were already there. Virgil was making pancakes, Scott was making himself a coffee whilst talking to Kayo and John (the latter on hologram), Brains was reading a book on other worldly theories, and Alan had yet to appear but the snores from when they passed his bedroom answered where he was. Like she guessed, Gordon was watching Virgil make the pancakes closely, beach towel wrapped around his waist and a smaller one on top his head. In any other scenario she'd go right up and kiss him before sitting down for a cup of tea, but this isn't the time. He's got to explain why there's a kid on the island.
"Good morning m'lady." Came a voice from behind her, Parker. Parker paused spotting Percy his eyebrows shooting up comically before furrowing, eyes darting from Percy then to Gordon then back to Percy. He looked like he had a million and one questions that were all trying to come out at once. Penny just sighed, looking defeated. She turned to see the rest of the family with similar expressions as they finally take notice of the boy. Penny doesn't say anything, except she clears her throat and looks to Gordon, who stands there looking like a stunned fish...fitting. "I know, I know. Should've probably run it by you guys first, but I'll explain once Dad, Grandma and Alan are up. John already knows the gist but for now...this is Percy, and I sort of became his emergency foster parent..." Gordon said sheepishly quickly ducking behind Virgil, as if he'd be safe behind his big brother. How did she manage to fall in love with a man so childish?
"We'll focus on that later then, for now let's just get him fed and clothed properly, bless him but he can ot wear your old college shirts forever." Penny responded leading Percy toward the head of the table. Gordon, meanwhile ran around the kitchen, getting Percy a slice of buttered toast and a glass of orange juice, all whilst the rest of the family stared. All with matching expressions of bewilderment. "They didn't say he was allergic to anything, maybe just a bit picky. But who isn't?" Gordon commented as he put a slice of toast, cut into small triangles, and a plastic cup with fish on it, likely from when Gordon was little. Thankfully Percy dug right in, eating the slices eagerly. He smiled widely at Gordon and Penny, saying thank you in his own way. The rest of the family had gone back to their own thing as the three missing members began to show their faces, starting with grandma Sally, who walked out happily in her signature purple jumsuit, but pausing at the sight of Percy. Before she could ask, Jeff appeared dragging a protesting Alan behind him.
"Come on son, it's a lovely day and you're missing out on breakfast." Jeff smiled, encouraging Alan to wake up more as he guided him to sit across from Penny, before noticing Percy who still ate happily. Alan also perked up a bit more when he saw Percy, looking around for an explanation. Gordon sighed, sitting next to Penny. "Right, now that we're all here, I should explain." The other's turned to look and listen to Gordon. "So yesterday when I went on that mission for the missing boy, I discovered that before the vessel capsized, Percy here was thrown off the boat. And thankfully, the boat was closer to the water so he didn't get any major injuries except for some bruising on his ribs and spine. One of the head nuns had thrown him over board like 2km before the capsize sight, no wonder they couldn't find him. After I spoke to a younger nun and a couple older kids, and according to them, Percy had been abused for a long while before yesterday's events, and because the head nun was so cruel, nobody had the courage to speak up." Gordon paused as Percy came over, climbing into his lap after listening into his story. "But the reason I took him is because when the authorities took the head nun into custody, they needed to get Percy out of the orphanage. And well, I saw him so excited at the sight of TB4 and the ocean and I couldn't help but manage to convince them I could take him, with John's help. Because who's more trust worthy than International Rescue, you know?" Gordon chuckled nervously, holding onto Percy as he rubbed his back. Feeling the boy playing with his shark tooth necklace (found on the ocean floor, dw).
There was a long pause before Penny spoke up. "You know what? I can't even be mad, because this boy is just too darn cute. But next time you bring a kid home, a little warning would be nice. For all of us, okay?" Gordon nodded, thankful nobody was mad at him. "You know, I always thought Scott would bring home the first kid." Virgil quipped, earning an exasperated noise from said Scott as everyone began laughing. Gordon ruffled Percy's hair, smiling down at the kid.. He had a feeling this wouldn't be the only case of 'accidental' adoption.